


Don't Grow Up too Fast

by Harmonicsconfusion



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Brotherly Love, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 08:33:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/898180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harmonicsconfusion/pseuds/Harmonicsconfusion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>29 year old Dirk "Bro" Strider, adjusts to life with his new adopted brother Dave. But he's not quite sure he ever wants him to grow up. (Just some brotherly fluff I wrote awhile ago)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Movie Night

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a little while ago but never got a chance to finish it. Hopefully I'll get around to it. I have one other chapter written currently, so hopefully I'll get around to uploading that tomorrow. I would love to hear some feedback and ideas to help me improve! Hope you like it <3

The small television hummed to life as Dirk shifted his way back onto his bed. He slumped into his sheets and slid off his shades; setting them on the nightstand beside him, he fumbled for the remote. He started flipping through channels before landing on some shitty action movie about 20 minutes in.

He didn't really mind given he never had much time to watch this stuff any more ever since he took Dave in. The man just sighed and leaned back into his bed, blinking the tiredness from his eyes to focus on the glow of the small screen. He made sure to turn the volume down to a low 10 so he didn't wake Dave, who was sleeping in the next room over.

Though about half way through the movie he heard the door creek open just slightly, accompanied by a hesitant young voice "Bwo…?" Dirk sat up and looked down at the kid.

He smiled gently and asked in a soothing whisper "What are you doing out of bed little man? It's late." He leaned forward as the small child; who was scurrying over to the bedside without a word. When Dave reached the mattress below his adoptive brother, he held his arms up over his head making grabby hands in the air, indicating he wanted to be picked up.

The older brother grabbed him under his arms and lifted him onto the mattress, questioning the child again "Can't sleep, huh?" he said in a soft voice. He smiled as the younger child shook his head with a small "uh-uh." Dirk chuckled, ruffling the kid's hair.

"Whatcha watchin?" The kid asked looking at the TV, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, just an old movie." He replied with a shrug. The kid tilted his head at the screen and asked with interest in his voice "Can I watch too?"

"Alright little man, but just this once." A smile spread across Dave's face before he was crawling across the sheets, pulling himself up onto his brother's lap.

"I'm not little." He said quietly, crossing his arms. Bro sighed.

"Oh I'm sorry," he said, ruffling the younger kids hair "You're a big boy. How big are ya now?" He asked the child. This was a little routine they went through every now and again.

Dave looked down at his hand and held down his thumb, he turned to Bro holding his 4 tiny fingers in front of his face "I'm four!" he said confidently. Bro laughed, patting the younger on the head.

"Yeah well I'm still bigger so I got the right to call you little if a want." Bro said leaning down as Dave pressed a small forehead to his. Dave scrunched up his face in attempt to look mad.

"How much bigger?" He said with a pout in his voice as Dirk pulled his head away from Dave's.

"Well let's see…" He said, making it seem like he was thinking about it more than he was he over exaggerated the pauses. "If I'm 29 now that makes me… 25 years older than you champ." Dave scrunched up his face more.

He held up his pointer finger above his head swaying his arm back and fourth as he said "Oh yeah! Well, well someday Imma be as big as you." He declared before adding in a confident tone, "Maybe even bigger!" he stretched out his arms, his palms out in an attempt to show just how much bigger.

Bro chuckled, putting a hand on Dave's shoulder. "Well good luck with that sport." He ruffled the kids hair again as Dave gave a satisfied grin. "Now lets watch the movie OK?"

"Okay Bro!" Dave turned back to the screen, leaning back onto his brother's chest. He rest his tiny hands onto Bro's legs and let his head slide down comfortably onto Bro's arm. Bro smiled, resting his and on top of his younger brothers.

Even though he had decided to raise Dave as a brother, in a way he was sort of like a son. Sure Dave was another mouth to feed and at first he really didn't know what the hell to do with the kid, it ended up working its self out. Dave was now his family, biologically or not. He wanted the kid to grow up happy and well.

His thoughts where interrupted by Dave's enthusiastic voice. Pointing to one of the characters on the screen holding a large sword. Dave asked, "Hey bro! Is that guy the hero?" The child tilted his head back, looking at his brother's face from below.

Dirk gave a small chuckle, "Yeah, that guy really kicks ass doesn't he?" He looked at Dave's wide blinking eyes.

"Yeah!" He said joyfully adding, "Just like you bro." This made His older brothers heart lift, he smiled gently at the boy, nodding. And whispering a quiet "Yeah…" in reply.

"When I grow up I'm gonna be just like you! And I'm gonna grow up real fast so I can be just as cool as you are." He smiled widely, proud of himself for wanting to be so much like his big bro.

Bro just smiled, hanging his head. He shook his head slowly and whispered to the boy, "No… Don't grow up just yet Dave; don't grow up to soon." He smiled weakly, wrapping his arms around his little brother, "You're perfectly fine right now; you don't need to grow up just yet lil bro."

Dave blinked a few times in confusion, his big red eyes shimmering in the simple glow of the TV. He then smiled and agreed "O.K. bro! Whatever you say!" He turned back around and faced the screen again.

Dirk smiled, "Alright little man." He said, ruffling the kid's thin blonde hair, sinking back into his pillows. He knew that in the not far future Dave would start growing up, and they would someday become distant. Dave wouldn't want to spend every wakening minute with his older brother.

But he would have to enjoy it while it lasts, he assumed he had until Dave would be somewhere between 11-14 before he started closing off and spreading his own wings. He had a good 10 years at best, and he was fine with that. Bro was sure that someday, Dave would grow up to be someone he will proud to have raised.

"Hey bro? Can you teach me to do stuff like that?" He pointed at the screen where two characters where sword fighting. His eyes where wide with enjoyment; enthusiasm filled his voice.

"Haha, maybe someday I can teach you how to strife little man. Just wait till you're a bit older okay?" Dave's face lit up with a wide grin.

"Yeah! Then I can be a real badass just like you!" He smiled at his brother, his expression glowing with excitement. Bro gave a small chuckle.

"That's my little bro." He said patting the kid on the head before they went back to watching the movie. Dave would occasional speak up about how cool the people in the movie where, until only shortly before it ended he grew silent. The rising and falling of his chest slowed from an exited active boy to a sound sleeping child.

His head slowly slid down Bro's chest, landing in the side of his arm. Soon before he drifted off to sleep he whispered a quiet little phrase under his breath. "I love you bro." He said sleeping away into slumber. The older just smiled caringly at the young boy he proclaimed as a sibling not more than a few years back.

"I love you too little man." He said, sitting through the movie until the credits rolled. After that he clicked the television off he scooped Dave into his arms and walked him back to his own bed. He bent down, using his elbows to push the covers down the bed before he lay a sleeping Dave down gently on his bed. He let his younger brothers head rest gently on the pillow. As the small child curled up into a ball from the chill of having nothing warm beside him he turned onto his side.

Bro softly pulled up the comforter, gently laying it over Dave's small body. He patted the kid's head one more time before heading for the door. With his hand on the light switch he turned back to his little bro. He sighed and whispered to the sleeping blonde kid "Don't grow up just yet little man." He left the click of the light switch and the echo of his words fade into the darkness as he shut the door.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for you to grow up yet."


	2. Don't Worry About a Thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the new chapter up! A great big thank you to the two people who gave kudos <33333 I would love to hear some feedback! I haven't written the next chapter yet(although I have an idea of what I want it to be about) I am defenetly willing to listen to suggestions. I hope to have the next chapter done within a week. I'll start writing it tomorrow if I can. Thanks again!

"Come on little man, it's time for breakfast." Dirk called as a small Dave Strider slipped his door opened walking out of his room in his over sized grey heart t-shirt, his playing-card symbol blanket clutched in his small hand, his other hand rubbing his eye.

"But I'm still sleepy Bro." He whined, waddling his was over to the table, pulling himself onto the chair. Bro slipped a bowl of steamy oatmeal before the child, chuckling a bit.

"Well that's what you get for staying up too late last night Dave." Dave was now five years old and today was his first day of kindergarten. The night before he was bouncing off the walls with excitement, he didn't want to go to sleep at all and it took till 10:30 for Bro to get him to lie down. Now he was all dreary eyes and drained of all enthusiasm, on the outside at least.

"Bro is my bag still bye the door?" Dave asked, slightly hesitant.

Bro sighed and replied "Yes Dave, it is exactly where it was last night when you asked, and it's exactly where we put it yesterday afternoon when you wanted to make sure you didn't forget it."

Dave looked down in his oatmeal satisfied when a little bit of doubt shocked through his expression again, he looked up and added, "Does it have everything I'll need in it?"

Dirk sighed, "Yes, everything."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure."

Dave paused, before asking again. "Did you double check it?"

His older guardian gave him a Strider smirk and assured Dave, "I triple checked it."

Dave's expression became a little more confident and he nodded, "Alright, cool." He scraped out the last of his oatmeal and shoved it into his mouth before scooting off of his chair onto the floor.

Dave froze again thinking about it. "What if I forget to grab it?"

"I wont let you buddy, don't worry"

Dave looked displeased. "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise." He patted the kid on the head as he started to walk away to his room.

"Need help getting dressed?" Bro asked, picking up Dave's empty bowl and setting it on the counter next to a pile of dirty dishes.

Dave shook his head "I'm a big kid, I can do it myself!" He proclaimed. Holding his head up high.

"Well alright whatever you say. I have an outfit laying out on your dresser for you." He called from the kitchen as Dave walked to his room.

Bro opened up the fridge, grabbing himself a bottle of apple juice. When he shut the door a piece of thick white construction paper slipped out from under its magnet and fluttered down to the floor. It was a crayon drawn picture of Bro that Dave drew a few weeks before. It was of him standing on the roof of there building with a sword in hand. It was sloppy but it made Dirk proud. Dave was a handful sometimes but he was a good kid.

While he placed the drawing back on the refrigerator adding another magnet to keep it secure. He soon turned around to find Dave standing behind him, his shirt all awkwardly tangled around his body. Bro contained himself from laughing and let out a lighthearted sigh. "What am I going to do with you Dave?" He pulled the shirt off his brother and helped him put it on properly. "We should get going soon, do you have everything?"

Dave was about to nod, but before he could he remembered something and bolted to his room. He came back, his pair of shades, practically identical to his brothers, crookedly rested on his nose. He then adjusted them and nodded, "Yeah I got everything."

Bro smiled, "That's my little brother. Now come on, get your shoes on." He started heading to the door, grabbing his baseball cap from the table and slipping into his own pair of shoes. He pulled the car keys out of his pants pocket just as little Dave finished putting his shoes. Dirk turned the handle and opened the door while Dave scooped up his backpack and followed his brother out the door. He griped to his brother's large hand tightly until they where at the car.

Once he got Dave buckled in, he shut the door and got up front behind the wheel. Dave asked wary questions the whole ride there.

"Are you sure you know where the school is?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

…

"What if I can't where my shades in class?"

"You tell them you're too cool to be without them."

…

"What if someone picks on me?"

"Then I will personally drive to the school and kick their ass. But I'm sure they won't Dave."

"Really?"

"You're too cool for people not to like you, I'm sure you'll be fine."

…

"Are you sure this is it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

…

"Do you remember where my classroom is?"

"Yes but remember I can only walk you to your class room for the first week, then you need to know where it is on your own, okay?"

"What if I can't remember?"

"I'm sure you'll be fine."

…

Next thing they knew they where standing in front of the classroom door. A label read 'Kinder room C: Mrs. Gallows's class'.

"Well this is it, you ready?" Bro said, looking at his brother's cautious expression.

"Oh hell no." Dave said, eyeing the door up and down, squeezing his brother's hand a little tighter.

Bro knelt down and looked Dave in the eye, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to do fine." He ruffled his brother's hair and adding, "Go show them what a cool kid you are." He stood back up, patting the child's head one more time.

"Oh, and keep the cussing on a down low kid, don't want to upset the teacher now do we?" He chuckled as Dave shook his head, his expression much more confidant and exited than it was this morning. He opened the door and patted his brother on the back, urging him to go inside. "Go get em'." He said winking at Dave, who just smiled and gave him thumbs up.

As he walked inside he turned and added to Bro "I can tell everyone about how I have the coolest best big bro ever!" Then he walked in with his head held high and his cool red and black backpack. Bro smiled, hoping Dave would enjoy school and make a lot of friends. He shut the door, peeking in the window to see Dave sit down in the circle of kids on the floor, in front of the teacher.

"Good luck little man." He whispered before he turned around with his hands in his pockets and headed for the car.


End file.
